Hello and Welcome! We are the Dwyer Family. We farm in the beautiful Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada. We are a Christian, Roman Catholic family with five children. We own and operate 'Dwyer's Farmhouse'. It's a farm vacation get-a-way place. Our guests stay in a farmhouse and experience a working farm. I hope you enjoy following along with our adventures.....there is never a dull moment here! This is our farm story....

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Of course I doubled the chocolate cake batter because when you are making cake you may as well make lots of cake. I knew the kids would like a cake.

But before I poured our cake into the pan something overtook me and I told myself to pour it into the new jelly roll pan that I bought on sale on Boxing Day.

I was thinking that if I made a bigger sized cake maybe it would last longer??

Then I got this brain wave idea. When I took it out of the oven I covered it in mini marshmallows and then put it back in the over for a couple of minutes....just until those marshmallows were all blown up into gooey goodness.

Then I took a glass bowl and put

1 1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tbsp. butter

....I didn't actually measure any of that. Those were approximates. I just put the stuff in a bowl and then put it in the microwave for a minute and then mixed it until it was a beautiful melted mess.

And I added 2 cups of Rice Krispies to it.

And then I poured it all over those fluffy marshmallows.

And the idea of this cake lasting longer because it was actually bigger was

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Terry and I headed into the big city on Saturday night. We had a 50th Birthday party to attend.

We went early to have supper out....because we had a gift card that was over 3 years old and we figured that it was time to use it! And because we never have supper out....just the two of us. I think that's a date.

We went on a date.

As we started to get into the city and we got surrounded by other trucks and cars....I could feel my blood pressure rising. I was feeling closed in. Feeling like I needed to get out of there.

And I said....who in their right mind would live here?

The city and me just don't jive.

But anyways....we parked and we were walking towards the restaurant when Terry stopped.

He started to shake one of his legs. I said...what are you doing?

And then he bend down and pulled the truck keys out of the bottom of the leg of his pants.

I was amazed. 'WOW', I said.

He said...I have a hole in my pocket.

But those are new pants.

Ya.

Give me those keys....I'm putting them in my purse.

He's a fun date.

We went into the restaurant and had a good meal. It was nice. Just one text from Johanna saying that she was heading to the ER. She had decided that she had strep throat. But she didn't.

As we were walking out of the restaurant I handed the truck keys to Terry.

We weren't walking long and he stopped. Gave his leg a shake. And pulled the keys out of the bottom of his pant leg.

I said that I really needed to sew that pocket.

He's a fun date.

We drove to the birthday party....arriving at the same time as another couple that we knew.

We were all chatting and walking towards the pub.....when Terry stopped. Gave his leg a shake. And then pulled the keys out of the bottom of his pant leg.

The other couple saw him....and he said 'I've got a hole in my pocket.'

And I added.......'That's the third time that he's done that tonight....give me those keys!'

We all laughed.

He's a fun date.

At the party I got talking to a city girl that said.....'You know....I didn't realize that people actually lived out where you live until I met you all. When I first went out there I thought....who in their right mind would live out here in the middle of nowhere? You have to drive to get anywhere!'

I said....ya....I love it!

After a fun evening, I was happy to get back out on the open road and back home to the middle of nowhere...glad that we still had the keys.

Monday, 18 January 2016

Growing up, Emmett was my Grandma's neighbour. I didn't really know him. I was actually kind of afraid of him. He had really big hands and a big booming voice. I remember being home from school one day having a sick day on Grandma's kitchen couch....the best place to be on a sick day....when Emmett stopped by to tell my Grandma something. I remember him standing in the doorway of the kitchen talking about cows and the weather. He was a good neighbour for my Grandma.

Then when Terry bought the farm that we live on in 1993, he was sort of the 'new farmer' around here. He became friends with Emmett. They had lots in common....cows and the weather.

We married and I got used to Terry saying....I'm just running over to Emmett's.

or I need to run to Emmett's for the calf pullers.

or I'll ask Emmett.

He and Emmett became good neighbours and friends....always ready to help each other out.

Emmett was a bachelor and owned several farms in the area.

And he knew that he needed to slow down and retire.

We bought the farm that has become 'Dwyer's Farmhouse' in 2002 from Emmett.

He sold off his other farms to other neighbours and remained on his homestead until 2012. At that time he went to the hospital...and then into a nursing home.

We helped his family organize the HUGE auction sale at his farm in May of 2012. It was a sale that went from early morning until suppertime! The crowd was huge...as there was much to be seen and purchased.

Emmett really wanted us to buy his homestead....and we did.

So now we have 'Emmett's place'.

I have turned his kitchen into my baking kitchen for the farmers' market. Johanna uses the front parlour room to teach fiddle and step dancing lessons two nights a week. And the other front room has lots of possibilities....I hosted a wedding dinner in November....that post is here.

It's hard to believe that he is gone.

His name comes up on my phone every time I type 'I'm going to....Emmett's.'

or 'Are you at....Emmett's?'

or 'It's over at....Emmett's'

Emmett's name is one of the most used words on my phone!

His kindness will never be forgotten. We were blessed to have him as a neighbour.

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

The other morning we were all sitting in the truck waiting on the bus.

Waiting.

and waiting.

and waiting.

She was a little late.

Then Lydia says..."Oh....here comes the bus!"

and we all look in the direction of where the bus would be coming.

but it's not actually coming.

'HA HA! MADE YOU LOOK!'

what a girl.

That game never gets old.

Sophie treated us to a magic show on Saturday evening.

We had to get advanced tickets.

That girl can plan.

She punched our tickets when we arrived. She had a raffle for a door prize. She had bowls of 'popcorn' for us to snack on during the show.

And the show....it was amazing! She practised all day! Terry and the boys made her redo some of the tricks because they couldn't figure out how she did them!

Due to the policy of 'no electronects', I wasn't able to get any pictures.

It was very good. We are sending her to magician school.

Just kidding.

Winter has arrived. I didn't go outside to take these pictures. I just looked thru the window.

Because it was a wee bit windy and I didn't feel like freezing my face off.

But on this day the sun was out and it was much more bearable....

And on this morning Terry and I went for a drive to town and it was like a winter wonderland. It's called hoar frost. and I don't know why.

I made the best soup for lunch today. I had roasted a meatbird the other night and I kept the bones to make a broth. I added carrots, celery and onion. And then mushrooms and spinach. And then a can of tomato paste....I've never done that before. And then pasta shells. And then some half and half cream.

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

We went out for New Year's Eve....and I stayed awake until after midnight! That's big deal for an old woman like me!

I actually didn't get to sleep until 3am....and I had to drive Grady down to the milk barn at 4:10am. That was a quick hour of sleep....and yes...I was out driving around in my pj's.

I dropped him off and headed back to bed....I knew I could get another hour of sleep before I had to go back and pick him up!

Of course...broken sleep means really stupid dreams for me. My dreams can be so ridiculous and when I tell them to Terry he always says to never tell anyone....because people would think I was crazy.

So.....cue 'strange dream no.1'. I'm mopping a floor and all of a sudden I can hear a man screaming that he's going to die....he is trapped in the floor. And the floor is shaking....and he needs out....NOW!

Of course I wake up....jolted awake. And a few minutes later I hear Sophie go down the stairs...she is up for the day. And a few minutes later the phone rings....Grady is ready to be picked up.

And I'm out driving around in my pj's again.

I come in the door exhausted. It's 6:20am. I asked Sophie to please wake me up at 7:30am. I tell her that I just need one more hour of sleep. She doesn't know that I was out all night!

Cue 'strange dream no.2'. I don't know where I was but there was a lot of people....very hungry people. I baked this huge loaf of bread...it was massive....too big to fit in an oven. And there were two guys there. I knew one of them....and I don't know why he was in my dream....but anyways....one guy was slicing the bread and the guy that I knew had this blow torch and he was blow torching the end of the loaf of bread before the other guy would slice off another piece.

I was fuming mad at the guy with the blow torch....he was ruining my beautiful loaf of bread. So I asked him...."WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" And he just laughed at me and told me that he was toasting all the pieces of bread for everyone.

And then I woke up.

Yes...I got 3 hours of sleep....only it was broken sleep....one hour at a time.

And I went on with my day and when I was making supper around 4pm I mentioned that I felt like I was going to throw up....because I was just so tired!

I went to bed at 6pm....and slept for 12 hours....with NO dreams that I remember!

Monday, 4 January 2016

I hadn't been out to the barn for a while but I needed to go and say 'Hello' to him.....when I was there I noticed these sheep. I didn't even know that we had sheep over here! We keep our sheep at the other farm. I'm thinking that they are here because they will be bred to a different ram than the one that is in with all the sheep. I didn't bother to ask Jack why they are here....I don't question his sheparding practises. He is the pro.

The sheep were happy to see me....at least I think they were. I told them that I wanted to take a few photos....'Smile for me girls'....'Fabulous! Ewe are beautiful!'.

I love it how they all gave me their full attention.....as if they knew exactly what I was doing.

Sunday, 3 January 2016

We've been hanging around with each other for the last two weeks....and it all ends tomorrow!

EEEEKKKK!

I don't want Christmas holidays to end!

At first there were a lot of moments "I'm not talking to you"...because really you were asking someone else....or "Who?" "What?" "When?".....when someone would walk in during the middle of a conversation.

One morning Lydia was not in a good mood...maybe because we were completely off schedule and had been staying up late and eating ridiculous amounts of sugar....and I asked her to just go and brush her teeth. I always feel so much better after I brush my teeth. But she just said "I DON'T EVEN LIKE CHOCOLATE CAKE!"

Sometimes we just didn't understand each other.

But most of the time it was good. very. very. good.

We did a lot of celebrating. and visiting. and eating. and my pants don't fit.

It was a green Christmas. We went for a walk on Christmas day. It was beautiful outside. Sophie wore her new jeans and got grass stains! GRASS STAINS!! Sophie and Lydia got kidizoom action cams and Sophie took hers along for the walk. She was even able to attach it to her bike and get some videos. Riding a bike on Christmas day.....that's crazy!

We sort of had a retro Christmas. They got a Rubik's cube, that flashing Simon game, a Spirograph, Fashion Plates (one of my all time favourites), the 5th season of the Duke's and Mastermind.

Yes....I found an unopened box of the Mastermind game on ebay....from 1975! At first I was a little worried...what if there actually wasn't a game in that box?....but it was there and it was just how I remembered it! And we all got instantly hooked on it!

There were lots of ping pong games in Grandma and Grandpa's basement....and lots of fun with cousins.

But they were missing the snow....hoping for snow....Sophie had even asked Santa for snow....and finally it happened! It snowed all day and all night. It was a good day for making the gingerbread houses.

And then they headed outside for some snow fun!

And the big clean up started.....

Once we got the snow, Sophie and Lydia would get up in the morning and put on their snowsuits and head out.....with their pj's on underneath! The snow would keep them entertained for hours.

This happened usually several times a day...and the music always had to be LOUD!......

We also celebrated Terry's Birthday. This day was all about the butterscotch pie. His favourite.

Winner of a Silver Medal for the Best Family Blog in the Canadian Blog Awards 2013

A big Ottawa Valley 'Gidday' and welcome to our blog! Our guests always have so many questions about our way of life that I thought I should blog it. You can follow us all year long! Thanks for stopping by...let me know you were here by leaving a comment.

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Dwyer's Farmhouse

Dwyer's Farmhouse is a very unique farm experience for your family. The century old farmhouse is rented out exclusively to you. Bring the family and stay on a working farm...and have the place to yourself! Don't forget to feed the hens and gather the fresh eggs for your breakfast. Cuddle the barn kittens and treat the work horses to an apple or carrot. Pick some fresh produce from the garden. Relax and watch the cattle graze or spend the day exploring the Ottawa Valley. When evening comes you can roast a marshmallow on the bonfire and gaze at the stars. Then settle in for the night in Dwyer's Farmhouse. It will be just like the sleepovers you used to have at Grandma's farm. Your children will cherish the memories and want to come back to stay again and again.